Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

दशसूनासमश्चक्री दशचक्रिसमो ध्वजी । दशध्वजि समा वेश्या दशवेश्यासमो नृपः

Transliteration

daśasūnāsamaścakrī daśacakrisamo dhvajī | daśadhvaji samā veśyā daśaveśyāsamo nṛpaḥ

Translation

രഥയോദ്ധാവ് പാപത്തിൽ പത്ത് വധകരോടു തുല്യം; ധ്വജധാരി പത്ത് രഥയോദ്ധാക്കളോടു തുല്യം; വേശ്യ പത്ത് ധ്വജധാരികളോടു തുല്യം; രാജാവ് പത്ത് വേശ്യകളോടു തുല്യമെന്നു പറയപ്പെടുന്നു।

Word by Word

• दशसूनासमः: equal to ten butchers
• दशसूनासमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + सूनā (प्रातिपदिक) + सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (दश-सूनानां समः = equal to ten butchers)

• चक्रि: a discus-bearer (cakrī)
• चक्रि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्रिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दशचक्रिसमः: equal to ten cakrīs
• दशचक्रिसमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + चक्रिन् (प्रातिपदिक) + सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (दश-चक्रिणां समः)

• ध्वजि: a banner-bearer (dhvajī)
• ध्वजि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्वजिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दशध्वजि: (equal to) ten banner-bearers
• दशध्वजि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + ध्वजिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (दश-ध्वजिनां समा) — 'समा' इत्यनेन विशेष्यते

• समा: equal
• समा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying वेश्या)

• वेश्या: a courtesan/prostitute
• वेश्या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेश्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दशवेश्यसमः: equal to ten courtesans
• दशवेश्यसमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + वेश्या (प्रातिपदिक) + सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (दश-वेश्याः समः)

• नृपः: a king
• नृपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Ṛṣayaḥ (the Sages) (contextual continuation)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsakṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and ṛṣis (implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A didactic tableau: sages enumerate a ladder of sin—butcher, chariot-warrior, standard-bearer, prostitute, king—while the king listens, chastened. The scene may include symbolic vignettes faintly in the background representing each role.

Characters & Entities

• Nṛpa (King)
• Cakrī
• Dhvaji
• Veśyā
• Sūnā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Power and violence-linked livelihoods can accumulate heavy karmic burden; therefore, accepting wealth sourced from such systems demands caution.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching is embedded in Prabhāsakṣetra Māhātmya, using moral instruction to heighten the sanctity-driven dharma narrative of Prabhāsa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct rite is prescribed; the verse functions as a dharma-criterion for evaluating donors and the acceptability of gifts.